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Ingredients in his sauce combined with the Ingredients in Brennan’s Proctor’s Passion produce Success in the Making with Uncle Brutha’s Hot Sauce
There are few entrepreneurs that you meet in your life that have the right ingredients for great success. Statistics tell us that most fail. So what is it that is so necessary for success? Let me introduce you to Brennan Proctor and what I see as success in the making.
In 2001 Brennan Proctor was working in Los Angeles, CA as a sound technician for the music industry. He found himself working with some of the biggest names in the music business. At the same time, Brennan was building his reputation as a sound technician he was also developing his culinary arts skills in his home brewed hot sauces. In fact, he became widely known in the “party scene”. His sauces became so popular he admits that it almost became a prerequisite for showing up when he attended various events. But, it was finally when he was constantly being asked “where’s your sauce?” not at parties but at work that Brennan realized he had a business in the making.
When in 2003 the music video budgets began to decline Brennan found his work week becoming shorter and shorter. It was this that lead him to believe he should consider taking his hot sauces to the world. To do this he sold his home in LA to raise the needed capital for his business and moved back home to DC.
It was through his sister, who always called him “brother”, that he coined his business name. When she had her baby Brennan declared “I guess I’m now “Uncle Brutha”. It was with that that in January 2004 Uncle Brutha’s Hot Sauce business was launched.
Brennan had many disappointments from the very beginning. He was told time and time again by grocers and wholesalers “No thanks! We’ve got tons of hot sauces. We don’t need another.” But he endured and was able to at least persuade several local businesses including the Takoma Park Food Co-op, to place his products on their shelves. He was also able to find a place with the street venders at the Eastern Market, DC’s most famous farmer’s market.
Though Proctor was turned down initially with Whole Foods, through persistence, in 2005 he finally received approval of his brand to be placed in the local DC stores. This market later opened up to stores across the mid-Atlantic region.
In 2006 he moved his business from the farmer’s market to a location down the street and opened his own spice mecca he called “Uncle Brutha’s Gourmet Foods and Hot Sauce Emporium. He was on his way to hot sauce heaven and then disaster hit. With the three alarm fire closing Eastern Market in the spring of 2007, the loss of the foot traffic to Uncle Brutha’s reduced his sales revenues greatly. To cut his expenses, when his lease ran out the following summer, Proctor decided his only option was to work out of his home in Northwest, DC.
Uncle Brutha’s has successfully lobbied the local Giant Food Corporation and now has roughly two dozen stores in the region approved to carry his products. He continues to endeavor to expand his market wherever he can. He wishes to re-establish his store in DC and become one of the small businesses in the region who is creating jobs. He is even working with a farmer in nearby Olney to grow his chili peppers so he can proudly say “Uncle Brutha’s is locally produced”.
Brennan knows he has a winner in his hot sauces. Over the years Uncle Brutha’s hot sauces have won numerous awards and some very key support such as Chef “Rock” Harper of Ben’s Chili Bowl who uses the sauces to produce his very popular hot wings. Yet, he has had to face many adversities. In fact, he still is paying off debt from his 2008 store closing. Most entrepreneurs would have folded by this point and moved on to something else, but Brennan has a secret weapon to fight off that thought. His mother has worked with him through it all and still helps with mailings and office tasks but her greatest position in the business has been to be Brennan’s encourager. With her in his corner, he won’t give up.
With a no matter what attitude, Brennan has cut back on his expenditures in nearly every area he can. He has sold a home in LA to start the business. He has sold a car, turned off his cable TV and even cut out dating to focus on the survival of Uncle Brutha’s. He took up yoga, weightlifting and walking to reduce stress.
When we look back, it will not be luck that has made Uncle Brutha’s highly successful. It is the passion, hard work, determination and persistence that have been his foundation. With the momentum that Brennan is now producing when the opportunities come he will know just what to do. So, keep an eye out and check with your local stores to find out when Uncle Brutha’s will be on their shelves. Most certainly, it should be on yours.
Brennan Proctor, Uncle Brutha’s Hot Sauce,
240-286-3418
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